The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-01-16
A FAIRY.
aAnd that path leads"


ion let the bride fall upon his horses
neck and half turned in his saddle, gazing
up that narrow, winding break in the
dark woods as if he expected to see some
mysterious secret peeping out of 1t.
But Maud had turned her horses head
in the oppositite direction, pointing with
her whip.
See what a glorious view down the
hillside, Cousin Mauricel7 she cried.
1t was glowing and bri liant and beauti-
full in the sun set, but not half SO beauti-
full, not half so brilliant, as the graceful
woman at his side.
When he answered Superb Maurice
Desmond's eyes were on her face, and not
on the fair valley scene below them.
Perhaps she was conscious of that fact.
Her lovely color deepened, and she struck
her horse smartly with her riding whip,
wheeling him round suddenly, to hide the
blush.
Now for a race home!" she cried,
gayly.
And then, whether it was the sharp
turn, or the sudden flick of the lash, or
something stirring in the underground,
her horse plunged, and the next instant
Maud was lying on the roadside, with the
lovely color all fed out Of her face.
1t did not come back when Maurice
Desmond stopped over her, lifting her
head on his arm. speaking to her, trying
TO recall her to life.
There YVES 40 sign of life.
The young fellow looked around him
desperately. What should he do? Her
home was far away in the valley-,oo far
to think of carrying her for help, too far
to think of leaving her here alone till be
should 60 for help.
And there was no house in sight upsn
this lonely mountain crest.
As he cast his eyes forlornly around,
there came to him, like an unexpected an
swer, faint waver of blue smoke above
the low frs and the alders close at hand.
All at once ii struck him-that merest
path. winding through the underground,
which Maud had told him led nowhere at
all.
Might there not at least be wood
cutters hut-some shelter some one to
send down to the great house on mes
sage?
He caught Maud up, gently and swiftly,
in his arms. Her fair head dropped upon
his shoulder; her light form lay, a heavy
burden on his heart, which was full of
pity for her and dismay.
Now and again putting out one arm to
shield her from the overlapping branches,
he pushed on through the winding path
into the midst of the overgrown wood
INF no unr a. eff ho
came upon the hut he had been looking
for.
A wood cutters but, whose rude walls
were covered with the climbing elemal1s
and trumpet-vine, and clustering, csral
honeysuczle. Clumps of Wild sweetbriar
were blooming about the doorstep,
"a fatty bower" said Desmond to him
self; 'and-yes, yonder is the fairy!'
She came out under the trailing vines,
singing, like the nightingale, wild song,
which echoed the notes of the birds flying
homeward in the sunset
She stood in the doorway, shading her
eyes with her hand from The red rays of
the sinking sun-a sylph-like figure,
crowned with hair in which those rays
were cleaning, as if they delighted in
lingering there.
At Desmond's rustling movement
through the branches, she dropped her
hand and looked straight into his eyes
across the narrow patch of cleared ground
between the hut and the surrounding
wood.
Straight into his, with the prettiest nut
brown eyes, Maurice Desmond thought,
that he had ever seen; out of the pretti-
est, wild rose face-for she was blushing
like any rose under his involuntary stare.
Then, when she saw the burden in his
arms, she started forward.
Something has happened" she cried
Z An accidentl If I can do anything"
She broke off sharply as she came nearer
and caught full view of the face upon
his shoulder.
"Maudw Then, correcting herself, with
& swift glance askauce at Maurice Des-
mond, Miss Rae. Has she tainted? Will
you bring her indoors and let me Try to
help your
Indoors it was as without-a rude inte-
rlor as exterior; but made beautiful by the
fairy touch of the girl, who was soon
down on her knees beside the rustic bench
on which they had laid Maud.
She had Brought a flask of cologne from
the inner rocm-a tiny closet, half seen
through the opening door-ana she was
bathing Maud's wrists and temples.
one is coming 10, she SAID, after
moment, looking up at Desmond.
Thanks to your he said, eagerly.
You have been her good fairy Of the
woods. If | had not CHANGED upon your
bower here"
But she looked up at him with grave
smile.
"You do not know, then, that everyone
sshuns our hut-that it has an evil name,
and ali the country DeODe would on
iflIle round TO avoid it after dark2 Why,
Maud-Miss Rae-would tell you"
She stopped.
Miss RAGS eyes were opening and gaz-
ing straight up into hers.